Hello I am a chossid shoteh.

Diamond Member Joined: Feb 14 2007 Posts: 2888

Apparently scientologists are supposed to give birth in absolute silence.

Diamond Member Joined: Jan 14 2011 Posts: 2733

I still cannot believe the guy thought its better to have some random tow truck driver deliver the baby than himself. I wonder if he asked the driver to wash his hands first?

Platinum Member Joined: May 07 2008 Posts: 8963

Perhaps the young father-to-be had no idea what to do but was embarrassed to admit it and trotted out the religious taboo excuse to save face. Or maybe he was in such a state of shock and fear that he didn't know what he was saying.

Flagging down a passing driver was exactly the thing to do if he had no cell phone to call 911. At the very least, truck drivers have first aid kits and communication equipment to call emergency responders, and many are trained in first aid.

Generally one is advised to call emergency services before helping a patient. Once you get involved in treating a patient, you may not get a chance to stop and make the call.

Cut the fellow some slack. Chances are he's only in his very early twenties, if that, possibly married less than a year, and still very much an untested yeshiva bocher. Maybe now he'll go to his rav and ask what to do should he find himself in a similar situation a second time.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 02 2010 Posts: 1416

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18297

Marina had a link to a 2 paragraph NY Post "article".

Gold Member Joined: Jul 02 2010 Posts: 1416

Thanks! I somehow missed that when I read her post the first time.

Platinum Member Joined: May 07 2008 Posts: 8963

There will always people who let religiosity (as opposed to religion) get in the way of common sense. In some cases it's a form of mental illness, and in others it can be chalked up to immaturity, naivete, gullibility or just plain stupidity. Common sense is not part of the religious school curriculum.

Gold Member Joined: Oct 14 2010 Posts: 1224

Not sure what you are making such a big deal about, the article--or shall I saw blurb is poorly written.

�He said, �My wife is giving birth,� � Paulino said. But the Orthodox Jewish father-to-be said his religion forbade him from touching the baby or the mother.

The "him" in the article is ambiguous could be referring to the Jew. In that case, true, his wife was a nidda, and he asked the first person he saw to help deliver it. Why is that wrong?

Moderator Joined: Aug 14 2005 Posts: 4548 Location: Ohio

It's wrong because in the situation of pikuah hanefesh, the law he is citing is overridden.

Even if you say it is not pikuah hanefesh, she and the baby are certainly cholim sheyeish bo sakana (which includes situations in which the possibility of threat to life exists). In that case the halakha is that you HAVE to transgress any Biblical or Rabbinic Law on their behalf.

At the very least, he needs to learn up on these halachos, because they certainly apply when you have young children, who are more likely to become a choleh sheyeish bo sakana.
_________________
mommy to 2 girls, 1 boy

"I would rather have my people laugh at my economies than weep for my extravagance."
--King Oscar of Sweden

Gold Member Joined: Oct 14 2010 Posts: 1224

But if there is someone else around, he is correct in asking someone else to help. If it were 3am and he was at home--yes he should do it, but if he is on a public street and a truck is passing--what is wrong with that?

Platinum Member Joined: Dec 27 2007 Posts: 7250

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 01 2009 Posts: 8221

Platinum Member Joined: Feb 20 2009 Posts: 7641

Moderator Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 18297

The silly write up did not exactly give details. For all I know, he asked for help from a passerby...and he mentioned this halachic aspect in a totally different context...ok, the baby is coming, go hold your wife's hand...

And he definitely is allowed to touch the born baby (at least when baby is no longer attached to Mommy)...

This makes me think that no details were given to allow us to extrapolate that indeed he was foolish enough to think he would not be allowed to deliver his wife's baby.

Gold Member Joined: Oct 14 2010 Posts: 1224

But given the "length" of the article, and not knowing any other details, the reaction seems a bit harsh. Perhaps he was nervous and was looking for someone to help regardless!

Diamond Member Joined: Jan 14 2011 Posts: 2733